


Like the Tides

by Amarxlen



Category: Kingdom Hearts (Video Games)
Genre: Destiny Trio, Gen, Kingdom Hearts 2 - Freeform, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Sora Is A Dork, Zine piece, haircut, kairi makes a pun, post kh2, pre ddd, riku can't see, riku tries to be protective, sora and kairi tease him, trios zine
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-11
Updated: 2020-09-11
Packaged: 2021-03-07 02:22:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,412
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26399371
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Amarxlen/pseuds/Amarxlen
Summary: Sora and Riku have returned home, and while it feels like everything has changed, some things never will. Teasing between friends, comfortable silences, and unwavering support are all Kairi needs to know that whatever the future holds, the three of them will face it together.
Relationships: Kairi & Riku & Sora (Kingdom Hearts)
Kudos: 11





	Like the Tides

**Author's Note:**

> An original Kingdom Hearts oneshot written for The Trios of Heart: a kingdom hearts fanzine.

_ Like the Tides _

Waves rolling in off the ocean at high noon wasn’t a new sight for Kairi. She knew intimately the way they would crest and fall on the sands of the islands that had become her home. The way the clear blue sky seemed to stretch on forever with limitless possibilities, the way the sand slipped between her toes with every step. 

Kairi knew it wasn’t the home she had been born to, but throughout everything, it was the home her heart had chosen. It was the home that she would keep coming back to, regardless of what the future might hold.

“Hah!”

Sora’s guttural yell made her jump, and then laugh at herself as she shifted her perch on the bent paopu tree to turn towards him. Somehow, she had tuned out the noises of Sora and Riku sparring, but Sora’s shout drew her attention right back to them. Watching her two best friends spar was like watching an intricate dance — their movements didn’t quite seem like a response to each other, more like… Kairi’s eyes darted towards the sea again. Their movements seemed like the waves, cresting and rolling over each other, building off of each other before they ebbed to prepare for the next round.

As soon as the thought crossed her mind, Kairi felt her lips grow heavy. She was still smiling, but her thoughts had drifted, as they had begun to more and more lately, towards the ever widening gap between her and the boys. Reaching up, she brushed some hair the wind had blown into her face behind her ear. She hadn’t been able to pay much attention to it before, but watching Sora and Riku now, she could see just how much they’d changed. Grown might be the word someone else would have used, but Kairi knew it wasn’t just that.

Sure, they were both taller, leaner, and exponentially more skilled than  _ that _ night. The changes didn’t lie in something as easy to see as all that. Kairi wasn’t sure if it was because she was a Princess of Heart — she still wasn’t sure exactly what that meant — or simply because they were the two dearest people to her in all the worlds, but she could see the change in their shoulders, in their eyes. She could see it in the way their eyes scanned every room they entered, even in their own homes. 

Watching Sora and Riku, her smile shifted into a puzzled frown. Riku was losing. That in and of itself wasn’t as rare of an occurrence as it used to be. She could only begin to imagine what they’d been through that had hardened them so much, though she had vague ideas and glimpses from when Sora’s heart had sheltered hers. The strange thing about Riku losing was that he was losing  _ badly _ .

Kairi leaned forward, watching them intently — which was quite a feat considering how quickly they moved. Ever so slowly, the longer she watched them, the more she had a hunch about what was going on. Her narrowed eyes widened a moment later as she finally felt her hunch was correct. She pushed herself off the paopu tree, landing with a huff and straightening her skirt before cupping her hands around her mouth.

“Heeeey!”

The response was immediate. Sora and Riku halted their attacks, redirecting themselves as best they could to avoid hurting each other as their Keyblades disappeared in bursts of light and they turned towards her. Sora’s eyes were wide with alarm until he realized she was fine, and Riku… Kairi stifled a laugh. Riku was pushing hair out of his eyes so that he could see her clearly.

“What’s up?” Sora asked, drawing Kairi’s attention back to him.

She held up a finger with a coy smile. 

“I have a hunch,” she said. Both boys watched her curiously as she reached down, undoing the cloth belt that held her side pouch in place. Dropping the pouch to the ground, she held up her belt. “Riku, come here and bend down.”

Riku looked at her curiously, but her tone left no room for argument, and so he crossed the distance between them and did as she said.

“What are you—?” He didn’t get to finish his question before Kairi reached up, placing the belt over his eyes. Riku recoiled at the sudden assault. Kairi hesitated momentarily, her fingers behind his head, ready to tie a knot in the belt. For a moment, the only movement was from the gentle breeze that caressed the three of them.

“It’s okay,” Kairi said softly. As gentle as the wind was, it still nearly swallowed up her words. Riku’s lips parted, the apprehension still clear in his face.

“Kairi?” Sora asked, approaching them uncertainly.

“It’s okay,” she repeated. With this second reassurance, Riku nodded, ever so slightly. He leaned back down and this time allowed her to fasten the makeshift blindfold around his head. “I have an idea,” she continued. “About why you’re having such a hard time today.” Riku blushed ever so slightly, but Sora cut in before he could protest.

“Oh, yeah, I noticed it too, Riku.” Riku jerked his head towards Sora, any glare he might have been directing at the brunet hidden behind the blindfold. Sora held up his hands in surrender, but the grin on his face said he didn’t regret the teasing.

“It’s nothing,” Riku said. “I’m just having an off day.”

Kairi rolled her eyes, looking over at Sora in exasperation before turning back to Riku. Even now, when he didn’t have to be, he was trying to be strong for them.

“Riku,” she scolded. “Just trust me.”

It was a redundant statement and the three of them knew it, but old habits died hard, even when they were all safe and sound and together for the first time in over a year.

“Alright, alright,” he said. Whether it was simply to placate her, or because he begrudgingly agreed she might have a point — which was how most of their disagreements went — Riku stood up straight, and turned back towards Sora. Sora’s teasing smile immediately fell into something more serious as he and Riku summoned their Keyblades again. Kairi took that as her cue to scramble back onto the bent paopu tree, watching the boys in anticipation of her theory being right. She watched Riku, noting how his stance was different from before, tenser and a bit uneasy. But she still believed that, once they got started, his doubts would melt away.

Sora made the first move, darting forward with a speed she could only one day hope to meet. Kairi felt a smug grin on her face as Riku responded. Though she’d taken away his sight, the main sense he relied on to fight, Riku was parrying Sora blow for blow. Then, he was gaining ground. She could see the instant Sora was put on the defensive — his expression shifted ever so slightly, matching the minute shift in his attacks. Kairi couldn’t help but hold her breath as the fight continued, brow furrowing as she did her best to keep track of each swing of their Keyblades, each crash of metal on metal.

A familiar jealousy rose in her the longer she watched them, and the harder she had to concentrate to keep up. This envy, she thought, was an ugly thing, and she tried not to look at it too long or too hard. Their adventure was done. All she wanted to do now was enjoy all of their time together. Time she had been scared they might not have. Still, she couldn’t shake the nagging feeling deep inside of her that said something else was looming on the horizon, waiting to shake the foundations of her life all over again.

Then all at once the battle was over; the Kingdom Key knocked out of Sora’s hand, disappearing in a burst of light as Riku pointed Way to the Dawn at him. There was nothing threatening about the stance, but from the way the boys stood, chests heaving from the exertion of the fight, it was clear the battle was won.

Sora’s lips split into a wide grin. Reaching up, he swiped the sheen of sweat on his forehead, nodding sagely as he did so.

“I get it now.” He turned his gaze to Kairi. “You were right, Kai.”

Kairi’s eyes darted from Riku to Sora, widening slightly in surprise from suddenly being addressed. She’d been so distracted that Sora’s voice brought her sharply back to reality. Once she recovered from her surprise, she grinned and couldn’t resist flipping her hair coyly over her shoulder before jumping down from the paopu tree again. 

“Of course I was! When am I not?” Riku made a noise that was somewhere in between a laugh, a snort, and pure disbelief, but the meaning behind it was clear. He’d dismissed Way to the Dawn, and already taken off the makeshift blindfold, wringing it thoughtfully through his fingers. 

“Sure, Kai, you’re never wrong.” His small smile turned into a full blown laugh when she put her hands on her hips and stuck her tongue out at him defiantly. Sora joined in, until Kairi was unable to do anything but laugh with them, cheeks a light red, and covering her mouth with her hand. “I understand too,” Riku continued once their laughter had died down again. He looked up from the strip of cloth, meeting Kairi’s eyes. “You knew I was trying to rely too much on my sight, and”—he sighed—“my hair kept getting in the way.”

If his cheeks hadn’t already been flushed from sparring with Sora, Kairi was sure he’d be blushing at the admission. 

“Sounds like it’s time for a haircut,” Sora said, hands now laced behind his head. Riku gave him a withering look as Kairi giggled again. She took the cloth from Riku, looping her bag onto it and replacing them both around her waist.

“To be fair,” she started, “if Sora’s hair was much longer, he’d need a haircut too.”

“Hey!” Sora protested, reaching up to tug at one of the spikes. “It’s not my fault it grows like this.”

“It is when you sleep on it while it’s wet,” Kairi teased.

“You know it does this on its own!”

“Anyway,” Riku interrupted, before the teasing devolved into any further bickering. He shook his head slightly, though there was still a small smile on his lips. “You guys are probably right. I let it grow out because—” He hesitated, looking away from Sora and Kairi.

Kairi found herself suddenly looking at her shoes, mind racing wildly to fill in the blank. Because he couldn’t find somebody to do it. Because he didn’t care that it had gotten so long. Because he didn’t have time. All the possible reasons boiled down to a single one: because he had been too busy working tirelessly for a year to ensure Sora woke up safely.

“Let me cut it for you,” she blurted out, unable to take the tense silence that had fallen over them any longer. 

Where once their silences had been companionable and comfortable, with no need to be filled, more and more lately they had become awkward and weighty. They were filled with things too painful or shameful to vocalize. Things like the jealousy she had yet to admit to them she felt. She knew there were things they had yet to say too, even Sora. Maybe especially Sora, who she knew felt the weight of his journeys more than he let on. In some ways, Riku was the easier one to read.

“I can cut it for you,” she repeated, forcing a grin this time, as if that was all it would take for things to go back to normal. Back to how they used to be. She knew it wouldn’t happen, that they’d been through too much, endured more hardships than anyone — let alone teenagers — should ever have to face, but that wouldn’t stop her from trying.

“You can?” Sora asked.

“Of course,” she said with mild indignation, flipping her hair again. “I’ve been cutting mine ever since— for a while now.” She did her best not to outwardly cringe at how she’d almost said she’d been cutting her hair since she’d had to return to the islands alone. It had been getting increasingly difficult for her to hold her tongue about feeling left behind, no matter how many times she reminded herself they hadn’t done it on purpose.

“Alright.” Riku glossed easily over the slip, just as she had tried to for him. 

The stretches of silence and half finished thoughts were more prevalent since they’d all returned, but Kairi was grateful that it seemed like despite that, they still understood each other just as well as they always had. Maybe that meant they understood just how much she hated being left behind without her having to say a single word. Whether or not they did, she’d told Sora that she wanted to be by his side when all of them had finally been reunited and they were finally home, so maybe it was time to start letting go of that feeling.

Kairi took a deep breath and grinned, resolving to push those feelings aside and simply enjoy being home with her dearest friends. She darted forward, grabbing on to Riku’s arm and spinning them both towards the dock where their boats were tied up.

“So let’s go then!”

“Right now?” Riku asked. Sora’s eyes were wide with surprise too.

Kairi shrugged. “Sure, why not? It’s not like we have anything else to do.” She turned her gaze between the two of them. “Unless you wanted to keep sparring.”

Both of their expressions turned sheepish under her gaze, until Sora broke first. He laced his hands behind his head again, grinning at Riku and Kairi. “Sounds good to me.”

Riku sighed and shook his head with a wry smile. “Alright,” he relented. Reaching up, he rubbed the back of his head and then grimaced. “But you’re gonna have to let me shower first.”

“Deal!”

It didn’t take long after the decision was made for the three of them to row back to the main island and then walk to Riku’s house. While Riku left Sora and Kairi alone so that he could shower, the two of them used the time to raid the refrigerator before sprawling across his couches. By the time Riku rejoined them, toweling his hair dry, Sora had somehow ended up hanging off the couch upside down while Kairi tried to toss grapes into his open mouth. Riku looked at the scattered grapes from Sora’s failed attempts with annoyance.

“I am  _ not _ cleaning that up.”

“That’s okay!” Kairi threw one last grape towards Sora’s open mouth, missing and hitting him in the throat with enough force to make him cough before jumping off the couch. “Sora will clean it up.”

“Says who?” Sora asked, doing his best to right himself as quickly as possible without squashing the minefield of grapes around him. His protests fell on deaf ears. Kairi dumped the rest of the grapes from her hand into a bowl and grabbed Riku’s arm, dragging him back out of the room.

Kairi knew Riku’s house just as well as her own and led him easily back down the hallway towards the bathroom he’d just exited. Humming a bit, she started rummaging through drawers until she found a pair of scissors. She turned towards Riku and held them up, grinning.

“So,” she started. “How short do you want it?” Her fingers combing through his hair, she started listing off all the things that she could do, not noticing when his face slipped from confusion to nervousness to outright fear.

“How about just a trim?” he suggested, cutting her off mid-word.

Kairi blinked at the sudden interruption before shrugging and taking it in stride. “Sure,” she said. Gripping his hair in her hands, she frowned. From afar, she hadn’t been able to see that the ends had started to split from going so long without being cut. “I may have to cut up to here.” She marked the spot with her fingers.

“That’s fine,” Riku said, entirely unconcerned.

“Alright then. Here we go!”

The door opened just as she made the first cut, and Sora shuffled in, a towel in his arms. He grinned at them and then, without explanation, laid the towel in the bathtub before clambering in. Kairi stifled a giggle the best she could, not wanting to mess up the cut she was making.

“Hey,” she chastised, knocking Riku on the head to stop him from shaking it.

“Sorry,” Riku said, sending Sora a glare as he snickered.

“Cut it out.” This was directed towards Sora, brandishing the scissors at him to accentuate the words. A grin split across Sora’s face that he immediately hid behind his hands. Kairi bit her lip to hold back her own grin, and Riku gave Sora a simple look. 

“Cut.” Sora pulled his hands away from his face long enough to let the word slip out and then started laughing. As hard as she tried not to, Kairi had to join in, pulling the scissors away from Riku’s head to avoid any accidents. Riku followed shortly after, and for the moment, all Kairi could focus on was how good it felt for the three of them to be laughing together again. 

This was all she wanted.

When their laughter died down, the conversation turned to more mundane things, and Kairi continued cutting. And slowly, the mundane conversation died down as well, leaving a silence that was only broken by Sora tapping his heel against the outside of the tub.

“I’m bored,” Sora complained, letting his head loll back to hit the wall. He scrunched up his face. “And uncomfortable.”

“You can always wait out in the living room.” Riku looked at Sora the best he could past Kairi cutting the bangs that had so hindered him before.

“Don’t wanna,” Sora said petulantly. He stuck his toe in the bathtub faucet, glaring at it as if it had personally offended him by being toe sized.

Kairi paused in cutting Riku’s hair. This was another statement that shouldn’t have meant as much as it did. It should have meant that Sora was too lazy to get up, or something similar. Not what all three of them knew it to actually mean. She met Riku’s eyes, seeing that he understood as well. After over a year of finding each other and being torn apart over and over again, none of them were particularly eager to be out of the others’ sight. It made for some odd stares from the people that knew them, though they paid the judging glances no mind.

“Whatever the future holds,” Kairi started slowly, “we’ll face it together, right? All three of us?” She looked between Sora and Riku, both of whom wore slightly differing expressions of stricken guilt.

“Yeah,” Sora said, expression turning defiant. “No more being separated.”

Riku nodded in agreement. “No matter what comes next.”

Their assertions were all Kairi needed to know that they had the same feeling she did. Their journey wasn’t over yet. Something would be coming, but this time, they’d all face it together. This time, she wouldn’t be left behind. A small smile came to her lips.

“Good.” She made the last cut to Riku’s hair, letting her smile widen. “Done!”

She stepped back to let Riku turn towards the mirror and get a look at himself while Sora sat up straighter in the tub.

“Hey, not bad! I’ll have to step up my game now that you can see again.” Sora grinned cheekily at the two of them.

Riku laughed. “Yeah, you better watch it,” Riku said, looking to Kairi. “Thanks, Kairi.”

Giggling, she held the scissors up and mimed cutting something.

“Anytime.”

“Great! Now that that’s done,” Sora jumped up, “let’s get out of here!”

“Not so fast,” Riku said, holding his arm across the doorway to prevent Sora from slipping past him. “We’ve got to clean up the mess.”

“Aw c’mon, I didn’t even make this one!”

Kairi smiled fondly as they started bickering with each other, a sense of contentment settling over her. Something may be coming, but as long as the three of them stuck together, she knew everything would be alright.


End file.
